Combined thermal devices for thermal cycling

• US 10,226,772 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon USA, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon USA, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Dale, Gregory A., Zeng, Shulin, Hasson, Kenton C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woolwine, Samuel C
• Application Number:
  US15/056,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20160354785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1811 using electromagnetic induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1877 using chemical reactions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2561/113 Real time assay
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/629 being a microfluidic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/71 thermally excited
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 : using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 : Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30072 : Microarray; Biochip, DNA array; Well plate
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 : Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 : Condition or time responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 : with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream

Abstract

The invention relates to systems and methods including a combination of thermal generating device technologies to achieve more efficiency and accuracy in PCR temperature cycling of nucleic samples undergoing amplification.

Claims

1. A nucleic acid amplification system comprising:

a microfluidic device comprising at least one microfluidic channel,

means to flow a fluid sample through the at least one microfluidic channel,

a first heating device to heat and cool the fluid sample to achieve nucleic acid amplification,

a second heating device to heat and cool the fluid sample to achieve nucleic acid amplification,

a first temperature sensing device to sense the temperature of the fluid sample,

a second temperature sensing device to sense the temperature of the fluid sample, and

a controller to energize and deenergize the first and second heating devices based on readings provided by the first and second temperature sensing device, wherein the first and second heating devices have different temperature resolutions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow means causes a pressure differential.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fluid flow means is a pump.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heat source is a contact heat source.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first heat source is selected from the group comprising:

a Peltier device, a resistive heater or a chemical heater.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second heat source is a non-contact heat source.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second heat source is a electromagnetic heat source.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second heat source is selected from the group comprising an infra-red source, a tungsten filament bulb and laser.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to independently adjust the first and second heating device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to increase heat from the second heating device when decreasing heat from the first heating device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heating device is thermostatically controlled by the controller based on an output of the first temperature sensing device, which temperature sensing device is operable to sense a temperature of the sample.